Blue Eyes, Cold Heart
by shedemonwolf
Summary: The good natured Jou snaps at Kaiba and a schoolyard fight ensues. But why was Jou so fired up? And why is Kaiba playing mind games? (warning:KaibaXJou Lemoness, first fanfic and a poor excuse for smut)
1. Chapter One

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, so don't sue. My first attempt at Fan-fiction (can you tell?), criticism is welcomed but be kind._

**Blue Eyes, Cold Heart **

**Chapter One**

He woke from a dream, dripping in sweat and confused. He tried to shake the feeling...the _feeling_ of hot lips pressing into his and of strange whispers in his ear. He felt embarrassed. The dream had been like many he had experienced, and he almost expected to occur, but this was different. He couldn't put his finger on it but it gnawed at him. There was something oddly familiar about the sensation, about the person he was dreaming of sharing the sensation with, yet he was sure it was no one he knew. As his sweat dried he began to shiver and the uneasy feeling was soon replaced by other, smaller worries. He checked the bedside clock and in a frustrated gesture pushed the damp blonde strands hair hanging in his face away. _No point staying in bed_, he thought, vaguely trying to recall further details about the dream. He decided the best path of action right now would be a shower, he could think about it there.

* * *

It was an unusually warm and humid day as Jounouchi lumbered his way towards school. The barely there niggling feeling the dream had left over, the large amounts of caffeine and the lack of food made everything about the street and the air around him seem surreal. He stopped at a small newsagent shop to grab a cereal bar of some sort and wolfed it down, but it didn't seem to quell the uneasiness and strangeness he was experiencing. The shower had done nothing to clear his head, nor had it helped him remember. Only sensations and feelings seemed to push their way through to make themselves known. It angered him slightly that his subconscious would not yield more of what obviously had been an intense and enjoyable experience, yet in a way, he felt as if he was being protected from something which might have disturbed him.

He shrugged it off as the school building came into sight and thought about what he could do to amuse himself throughout the increasingly hot day. He felt reassured as he saw Téa and Yugi waiting for him on the steps of the entrance to the building.

'Would you believe it? Jou is actually early? Whatever happened?" Téa mocked, feigning surprise as the blonde ambled towards his friends.

'Morning all,' he mumbled through a stifled yawn. He stretched, and yawned again, this time obviously.

'Hey, keep that great cake-hole of yours closed, Jou. Someone might fall in and hurt themselves.' Téa laughed at his expression and sat down next to Yugi, who was buried under a pile of large textbooks.

'Heh, very funny Téa, how would you like yours shut with jaw wire?'

'Someone got out on the wrong side of bed this morning!' Was the exclamation, as Yugi looked at Téa who raised an eyebrow in jest, and then scratches his head. 'So, what's wrong with you?'

'Ah, I dunno. I had this strange dream, woke up too early, realized I'd run out of food and...oh, I dunno.' Jou flailed his arms half-heartedly and looked at the floor in bemusement.

'What kind of dream?' The small spiky-haired teen asked, stashing away his textbooks into an already overstuffed bag. 'Scary? Weird? Enlightening...?'

'Scary, weird...but,'

'But?'

'But nice, I guess?' Proffered Jou, still looking very hard at the floor and rubbing the back of his neck.

In the kind of naivety and innocence one could only expect from Yugi, (even though everyone knew he wasn't as pure as he liked to make out,) the small teen's face went blank and he looked at Jou with a totally earnest expression. 'What do you mean?' He questioned hesitantly, searching his friend's face.

'Eh, never mind. Come on, we should probably head towards class now.' There was a general murmur of agreement and Yugi started to hoist his book-laden bag towards the doors, when something crashed into the trio, swore loudly and knocked Jou and Yugi to the ground.

'Ow, ow, _ouch._' Yugi rubbed his back and winced. 'Oh, hey Kaiba, you seem to be in a rush...'

'Yeah, and I would be where I'm supposed to be if it wasn't for idiots like you standing in my way!' Kaiba hissed loudly and cast a disdainful glare over Jou, who was covering his face and swearing to himself. Yugi shrugged and made to get up, but the blonde, who was bleeding slightly from his brow, got up and shot Kaiba a furious look, still swearing under his breath and trying hard to direct a new found anger, as hot as the humid day, into some form of coherent speech.

'Yeah? And why don't _you_ look where you're going for once, you arrogant, self important, snot faced snob! How about a little respect eh? After all we've done for you too, you piece of –'

'Jou, calm down, we're all friends here, right?' Yugi smiled grimly, ignoring the steadily growing ache in his back. 'Friends look out for each-'

'Spare me the pep-talk, Yugi,' sighed Kaiba, rolling his eyes dramatically, 'and tell your imbecile friend here to back off!' He waved at the blonde, but Jou was advancing on Kaiba, looking manic, anger pouring from his very being, something dangerous flashing about his eyes. 'He's going to start frothing at the mouth any minute,' Kaiba laughed, but he did so nervously. Jou ignored him and bared his teeth.

'I think he's got concussion,' Téa said softly, glancing at Yugi. He gulped and nodded silently, knowing that _something_ was about to happen, yet realizing that any action against it would be futile, not to mention foolish. The day darkened all of a sudden as a sense expectation filled the air, making it heavy.

The following scene seemed to happen in slow motion: Jou tightened a fist by his side, and then smoothly arched it through the air, directly for Kaiba's face. Kaiba, to quick even for an enraged Jou grabbed the boy's wrist as it flew at his face. He then twisted it away in a slow, deliberate, obviously painful motion and a triumphant smirk spread across the pale and pointed face. Jou winced, staggered and growled, but Kaiba was too busy feeling smug and directing more pressure to the already strained joint to notice Jou's other fist heading for his jaw. There was a dull thwack, and Kaiba staggered backwards. A crowd had gathered and their noisy presence acted to bring back a normal kind time-speed. The pale teen tentatively touched his lip, and when he saw blood staining his long pale fingers, his startled look shifted into an animalistic snarl.

The crowd began to chant with relish. 'Fight! Fight! Fight!' echoed around the school-grounds, and the curious onlookers had arranged themselves into a crude arena. Jou panted with effort and pain, he held his wrist gingerly before preparing to start again.

'Jou, Seto, no!' called Yugi, lost somewhere in the yammering, suffocating mass. Upon hearing his name, Kaiba's snarl grew larger, and the crowd grew louder. Finally, he lunged and grabbed Jou by the middle, and both crashed to the ground. The crowd screamed and cheered as Kaiba landed a well packed punch to the side of the blonde's face. Jou kicked upwards and knocked his adversary away, before tackling him and holding his face down into the asphalt, sticking his knee into Kaiba's chest. Soon, the two teens were rolling around on the ground in a frenzy of blood, sweat and hair. The pair grunted and groaned, screaming a stream of insults breathlessly or roaring in pain. Despite his almost dweeb-like build, Kaiba was a deft fighter and it was obvious that he had the better of the frenzied blonde. The crowd began to gasp and whisper in between cries of pain and humiliation as they realised this was more than just a school-yard scuffle. Some girls began to squeal in a panicked manner and some boys even tried to pry the pair apart, but quickly retreated as feet and fists flew past them.

Amidst all the noise and confusion, someone shouted 'Teacher's coming!' The noise died and hundreds of curious faces turned and necks craned to observe the doom that was about to ensue. Like the Red Sea, the crowd parted silently to reveal a short, balding, yet fierce-some looking man in a sharp grey suit and thick black rimmed glasses. Kaiba had just straddled Jou and was about to land him a final knock-out punch, when he noticed the stern glare of the Principal upon him.

'Oh sure,' Kaiba mumbled, 'walk in when it makes me look like the bad guy...'

The Principal continued to glare at them, his expression going from concerned to enraged in a matter of a few short seconds. He drew a breath, his face reddening and his body shuddering.

'Mr Katsuya Jounouchi and Mr Seto Kaiba!' He roared. 'I am shocked and astounded by this...this complete disregard for the school's reputation and your own reputation!' He continued in his earth-quaking tone.

'Especially you, Mr Kaiba, I certainly _did_ not think you were the sort to engage in such utterly disgusting, shameful behaviour. I want to see you both in my office, _now_!' He gave them a final bespectacled glare of disapproval and then turned to go. As the Principal stormed off, Jou pushed Kaiba off him and got to his feet rather unsteadily.

'If you think this is over, you are sorely mistaken.' Jou panted, his voice hoarse. Kaiba smirked and got to his feet, before marching steadily into the building. Jou limped after him. The crowd dispersed in a gentle rising of whispers and mutters. Only Téa and Yugi were left, both wearing a confused and worried expression.

'I hope he doesn't get into too much trouble,' Yugi said softly, clutching his bag. Téa nodded and silently they followed the rest of the school inside.

* * *

_A/N: First chapter done, still polishing off the next few chapters. R&R if you enjoyed/hated it or whatever._


	2. Chapter Two

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, so don't sue. My first attempt at Fan-fiction (can you tell?), criticism is welcomed but be kind._

**Blue Eyes, Cold Heart**

**Chapter 2**

By the time they had reached the Principal's office, Jou had begun to really feel the bruising from Kaiba's blows. He could taste blood in his mouth and his vision was obscured by exhaustion. They had been told to wait outside while the Principal took care of his morning duties and attended a brief meeting. Kaiba had taken possession of the only chair, so Jou had been forced to slump on the floor while leaning against the wall for support. With his head in-between his knees he tried to focus his breathing and remember why he had gotten into this situation. He had always thought Kaiba was a bit of an ass, with his unpleasant personality and a worse attitude, but he had no real reason to hit him, or fight him, yet on that morning he had felt oddly provoked. He guessed the lack of sleep might have had something to do with it, _or maybe the dream_, he thought. No sooner had he contemplated this, his gut contracted as fragments of the dream dripped through into his hazy mind. He looked up and saw Kaiba leaning back in his chair as if it were a throne, legs crossed, one foot swinging slightly to an unheard beat, his gaze distracted by something that he could see from the small window in the corridor. Dull sunlight filtered through the glass, falling across the thin figure draped across the chair. For a moment, he looked like something that had fallen straight out of a gothic novel and Jou was enchanted by the idea. He forced himself to look away but the image remained imprinted in his mind, along with the ever growing memory of the dream. Jou fought against it but at the same time he was mesmerized and curious.

The pale faced teen tore his gaze away from the window and Jou hid his head in between his knees again, but raised it just enough to continue watching Kaiba. He had started to examine his long fingers, and upon finding some of Jou's blood on them, he smiled. He glanced at Jou and caught him looking; he turned to face him, raising his fingers to his mouth and with eyes still fixed upon Jou, he began to lick them clean in a slow, rather sensual manner. Jou couldn't help staring in quiet horror, while still debating whether he felt shocked or disgusted. In truth, he felt neither, nor could he explain why his stomach seemed to be performing summersaults. Jou's eyes widened, enthralled by the almost demure pink tongue working it's way around those long, slightly feminine fingers. He growled at himself and forced himself to look at those intense eyes.

'Sick,' Jou muttered, at loss for anything else to say.

'Oh yeah?' Kaiba smirked, licking his lips. 'I guess that's why you're staring?'

'Ah, fuck you.'

'Big words for such a _small_ mind,' the boy answered nonchalantly, re-examining his fingers to see if he had missed a spot. He leaned back, still smirking wildly.

'So, I don't suppose you want to tell me real reason behind today's little..._escapade_?' His blue eyes bored into Jou's, and the blonde began to feel very self-conscious. He closed his eyes and tried to push away the thoughts of the dream, trying and failing to bury the answer to the mystery that had bothered him since waking. He wasn't sure he liked what his mind was trying to say to him, he felt disturbed by it; he'd always assumed he wasn't that way inclined. _It was just a stupid dream_, he told himself, _just a_ _really stupid, meaningless dream_. Worse still, Kaiba seemed to know what Jou was thinking, and was positively enjoying the show of emotions that flitted across the confused expression. In fact, he was laughing softly as Jou noticed and the slumped blonde was forced to retort.

'Kaiba, you're an ass, I hate you.' He snarled pitifully from his haze of pain and confusion.

'Hate is such a strong word, don't you think?' Purred Kaiba, still sporting that self-satisfied smile. He got up and walked over to Jou, crouching before him. The blonde looked away, the smell of Kaiba's sweat and his blood was like some overpowering exotic perfume, but he fought it. He intensely disliked Kaiba, he was sure of it; he was mean, aggressive, possessive and a complete freak to boot. Yet, as he thought this, his heart began to race wildly and Jou was again drawn into those excruciatingly blue eyes.

'But I do agree with you, mutt, this is far from over. I think I know a way of settling this...'

Jou looked up, confused by the aches and by Kaiba's presence. He couldn't help but notice and focus on the pale skinned features and those brilliant, yet icy cold orbs. With some alarm, he fought the urge to reach out and gently touch the arrogant presence before him. The blonde gulped.

'How we gonna do that?'

Kaiba's trademark smirk turned into a positively satisfied grin. 'Duel Monsters,' he answered, eyes glinting.

'Huh?'

'You heard me. My place, tonight. We duel and finish this off fairly.' Kaiba's voice dripped like molten gold and he leaned in closer to Jou. 'Let's face it, you're the one who came off worse today...'

Jou growled, but just then, footsteps echoed down the corridor and Kaiba stood up, regaining his usual calm and cold composure. The Principal appeared and summoned them both into his office. They were consequently lectured, both receiving a five day suspension from the school. Jou nodded and made agreeable noises at the Principal's words, while Kaiba somehow convinced the angry-looking man to not add this to their permanent records. But Jou's mind was on other things. He was weighing up the meaning of Kaiba's offer, and the reason behind it. What did he know, how did he seem to know what Jou was feeling? Why was he insisting on his presence tonight? Jou mulled it over, occasionally glancing over at the pale faced teen, who was still in the process of charming the Principal with his business-man's skills. Feeling confused, tired and slightly freaked out, the blonde tried to make sense of his feelings. He came to one definite, short conclusion.

_Have I really just been seduced by that jerk?_

* * *

_A/N: Second chapter...w00t? Gawd, this sucks, does it not?_


	3. Chapter Three

_A/N: People have asked me why I've used a mix of both the Japanese names and the English Dub names- it's simply a matter of personal preference, but I may change it later on, to make it easier for other readers. I apologize for the large paragraphs, but it doesn't read right any other way. It's just the way I write. Please understand that no one proof reads this, except me, and I aint very good at it._

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything._

_Warning: Very mild 'stuff / fluff'. _

**Blue Eyes, Cold Heart**

**Chapter Three**

He closed his eyes and let the steamy hot water hit his face. It stung at first, but he let it burn until his face was numb. The crusted blood was slowly washed away but the bruises remained, and so did the unexplained, haunting feeling, a sense of being caught in some strange mind-game, the strange raw emotions that no matter what would not go back into the Pandora's Box he had opened today. He cursed his own curiosity and temper, he cursed the situation and he cursed the slight headache that still lingered above his left eye, but most of all he cursed Kaiba. He leant against the shower wall, mentally exhausted, his mind having been in overdrive since he had left the stuffy Principal's office earlier that day.

He closed his eyes and all he could see were blue eyes and that pale face bearing that slight smirk, inviting him to do more damage. He opened his eyes and all he could think about was the sunlight falling across the lean body, the face focused on something faraway, suddenly vulnerable and in a way so delicious.

_No_, Jou told himself. He would not, he could not be taken for a ride by Kaiba.

He would not be drawn into this. This debauchery, this invitation to what seemed to be something sweet but was in fact very bitter. He could not, he wasn't like that, he had nothing against it, and he just could not believe that he could be this way, could not accept it.

Jou had always been so sure that he knew himself.

He had never felt like this before, and despite the protest his rational mind was rallying, he was enjoying it. He turned off the water and got out of the shower, his now familiar thinking place. The cold air gave him goose bumps and he welcomed the opportunity to shiver and briefly take his mind off of Kaiba and the way he had acted today. He reached for a fluffy towel to wrap around himself and he shook the wet hair out of his eyes.

He caught sight of himself in the mirror and only then did he start to realise the damage Kaiba had done. Jou's lip was cut and swollen, his brow was also swelling, along with a slight violet tinge the area. There was a large gash on his right arm and he was dotted with painful looking bruises and scrapes.

'_Damn_, I'm a mess,' he said to his reflection. He left the mirror scowling and scouted for some clean clothes, occasionally grumbling as various aches made themselves known. Settling on black jeans and a rather faded, oversized black t-shirt, he left his room, picking up his deck and duel-disk on the way, and left the house in hope of finding some food. Not that felt particularly hungry, his mind was on _other _things.

* * *

It took him half an hour to reach the KaibaCorp buildings, and a further fifthteen to find Kaiba's house hidden amongst the skyscrapers and narrow passageways. From the outside, it looked just like a cold lump of concrete with no real warmth or personality. 

_How appropriate_, Jou thought, hesitating to knock at the door. He did so and he heard some scuffling and then, the door open slightly, and two round blue eyes peered round, then widened as they recognised the scruffy looking figure. The door opened fully, and Jou was positively attacked by a small black-haired mass of hyperactivity.

'Jou!' Squealed the figure, dragging Jou inside.

'Hey Mokuba,' Jou smiled, feeling slightly awkward. 'I think your brother has been feeding ya too much sugar again' Just then, Kaiba appeared. He was without the usual trench-coat, but dressed completely in sleek, rich black. Jou stared momentarily at the apparition, but Mokuba's general over-excitement managed to distract him.

'Mokuba, it's late, you should be in bed. You have school tomorrow.' Kaiba placed his hand on his little brother's shoulder to try and stop him from zooming around like a demented house-fly. He was partially successful. He smiled at his brother and Jou realised he had witnessed a rare moment. He had never seen Kaiba truly smile and was almost amazed by the event.

'Why do you get five days off and I don't?' The hyperactive boy huffed.

'Because I do. Go to bed now and I promise I will watch that stupid show you like with you tomorrow night.' Mokuba thought about this and then he smirked, and for a moment he was a smaller, louder version of Seto.

Finally he scuttled off, leaving Kaiba and Jou alone. Blue eyes examined the battered looking, scruffy blonde with a kind of contempt and a hint of hunger.

'You won't be needing that,' he said, pointing at the duel disk. 'We play the old-fashioned way. I believeâ€it's more intimate, and besides the noise would keep Mokuba awake. He's enough of a handful as it is, I really don't need him going wild because we're just playing games.'

_Yeah? What kind of games? You have me wrapped around your little finger and you know it. You bastard._ Jou felt pangs of bitterness but he bit it all back, not wanting to put the pale brunette in a bad mood.

'Ok... I guess,' he said, trying to keep his voice expressionless. Kaiba beckoned for him to follow him as he took steps down the dark corridor that lead to various parts of the large house. They reached a room that looked as if its primary purpose was gaming.

Inside there was a large table set up, with rectangles carved into it as card placeholders. The rest of the room bore paintings and sculptures of dragons, supernatural beings and other oddities, and again Jou was reminded of a gothic novel.

Despite the neat and modern appearance of Kaiba's home, it felt mysterious, dark, as if it were harbouring secrets no one should ever discover. It occurred to Jou that he had never really thought about the things Kaiba might like, his tastes. In fact, it had never occurred to him that Kaiba had enough personality for any of this- his offices were cold, white and sterile. He had always assumed that the boy with smouldering eyes who was now lavishly leaning against the wall was the same- but oh, how wrong had he been. He was the very picture of desirable arrogance, standing there in the dimly-lit room with a lopsided smirk colouring his face, hiding behind chestnut locks that Jou suddenly longed to touch.

'Sit down, make yourself at home.' The pale teen was being unusually friendly, which made it all the harder for Jou to keep his mind off of him. He sat down and arranged his deck on the table, trying not to look at Kaiba, yet feeling slightly dizzy. The feelings Jou experienced had intensified, and he mentally tried to still the butterflies in his stomach.

He watched the tall pale teen lean over a cabinet, arranging something. He wanted to be next to him, to see what it felt like to be in _his_ body heat. He had given up trying to fight the strange new thoughts, he let them pour through him. They felt heavy, and even now they would not leave him alone. He wanted to tell Kaiba, to ask him what kind of a game he was playing at, he wanted to express his feelings before they suffocated him.

He sighed and rapped the tabletop with his fingers. Kaiba turned back around, holding two glasses and a bottle of white wine.

'Drink?' He asked, setting the glasses down.

Jou just looked at him, unable to speak. He caught a whiff of Kaiba's cologne as he leant over the table and before he could stop himself, he was inches from the pale face. A corner of Kaiba's mouth turned upwards and he cocked his head, eyes running over the bruises and cuts. Wordlessly, he began to pour the sparkling liquid into the long stemmed glasses and he passed one to Jou. He took it gratefully; the night was as hot as the day had been, the air stale and so thick it was hard to breathe. Being this close to Kaiba had just made it all the warmer, and Jou began to sweat. He gulped it down while Kaiba swirled it and sipped his carefully.

'Bourgogne Blanc, a fine 1997 bouquet,' Kaiba commented, examining the glass. Jou ignored the attempt at idle chat and gritted his teeth, trying to concentrate. He knew the other was merely trying to throw him off guard, to catch him unawares so he could further insult and frustrate him.

'More?' Kaiba offered, noticing the already empty glass. Jou nodded, placed some cards in his hand and gulped down the second glass.

Minutes passed as Jou pretend to arrange and re-arrange his cards and Kaiba was placing two cards face down on his side of the table while Jou still fumbled, his mind slowly hazing over as his unaccustomed body reacted to the wine. He toyed with some cards and arranged a few on the table, not paying any attention to them; rather, he was watching Kaiba.

Neither of them noticed that Jou had placed an unplayable card down. Jou took another drink, not taking his eyes off of the other.

'Kaiba,' Jou blurted out, unable to stop himself. 'Look, I dunno why you've invited me over, I dun' even wanna to try and understand what scheme you're running, but-'

Kaiba raised his index finger to his mouth and hushed the slur or words. 'Not another word, mutt.' He whispered softly.

This made Jou felt particularly useless and woozy, his mouth drooping open as the slender figure clad in black pulled himself up and dragged him up too. He wobbled, partly through the effects of the wine, partly through the rush of feeling the cool fingers on his arm. He stumbled forward, but Kaiba stopped him and pulled him close enough for Jou to smell the cologne clearly. He looked up, his warm amber eyes searching the blue ones which had melted from their icy glare into blazing azure flame. His breathing quickened and time came to a stand still as they stood there, faces inches away, the pale teen still holding Jou's arms firmly, and slowly nuzzling stray strands of blonde hair. He released his grip, snaking one arm around Jou's waist, pulling him closer, then trailed one finger around the flushed face, smiling hungrily.

'Don't struggle.' He quietly commanded to Jou's ear. The blonde relaxed a little and tried to make sense of things through his wine-addled mind. Soft lips brushed against his and his eyes widened in panic, but then closed slowly as the lips came again, this time stronger. He pushed back upon the lips, letting go of any fear and doubt.

_This is it_, he thought. _This is the dream_.

He felt hands on his face, pulling him closer, a hint of tongue tickling his lips. He retorted, exploring the warm mouth that still tasted faintly of wine, appreciating that it was _indeed_ a fine bouquet. His hands trailed around the brunette's neck and then his chest, so glad to be touching him.

Lost in the moment, he reflected that the dream may have only haunted him for one day, but the feelings were older than that. He has just been very good at converting them to intense dislike. He half wondered how he had managed this, but didn't bother to answer himself. He was far too engrossed.

Kaiba broke apart, leaving Jou panting and bothered. He looked up and got lost in sapphire intensity. He never wanted the moment to end. It was as if the pale, cold, uncaring Kaiba had bared his soul to Jou, and he could see so much in that expression, in those eyes.

He had never seen anything like it, and it took his breath away.

How could he have ever hated something so beautiful?

Why did Kaiba hide behind that mask or cruelty and hatred?

This was not the boy he had known for so long, this was the man he had dreamed about, thought about in dark moments, even though he just pushed the idea away and pretended it wasn't real. He was so lost in those long, graceful arms and sweet smelling mix of wine and perfume that for a moment he forgot his aches and everything else. This Kaiba he was being held by was inherently both kinder and stronger than the other meaner, uncompassionate Kaiba.

A shuddering sigh escaped him, and he and wondered how something so vulnerable had stayed hidden for so long.

It felt as Kaiba had read his thoughts. His face lost its momentary softness, his expression closed in again and he smirked. Jou gulped, still feeling in awe of what he had experienced. His eyes darted around the pale face, searching for some remainder of that total exposure. But Kaiba wasn't so stupid. Aware he had let his guard down, he quickly returned to being the bastard he usually was.

He pushed Jou hard and pinned him against a wall, holding his shoulders painfully tight.

'Mutt,' he breathed. 'I want you to understand one thing, so please do me a favour a listen carefully; I don't want to have to repeat myself twice. _This_ means nothing to me. _You_ are nothing to me. If you should ever mention this to anyone, you _will_ suffer. Now, does that make sense?'

'But –'

'Be quiet.' He barked. Jou complied, feeling a little nervous. He was longing for him to smile, to look at him kindly or something, anything to get back to the way they had been a few short seconds ago, but the tall brunette wasn't about to give in. He let Jou go and paced away back to the table to tidy away his cards, his face blank.

'Um... What now?' Jou asked, feeling stupid.

'What do you mean? Kaiba answered, his voice totally void of expression. Jou touched Kaiba's arm softly, still searching for the passion and beauty he had just seen. The tall boy turned to glare at him, his eyes icy and full of hatred once more. Jou pulled back, a rush of sadness engulfing him, much to his dismay. He looked down, not wanting to appear even more stupid than he already felt.

'I think I'll go,' he snivelled, shocked and confused.

He picked his cards up and left the room, trudging up the dark hallway. He blinked back the tears the prickled at the back of his eyes and threatened to stain his face, so he gritted his teeth and took one last look back.

In the shadows of unlit corridor was Kaiba, barely visible. He looked a lesser person as Jou glared at him, it appeared that he even tried to speak, but failed, at loss for words. Jou wrenched the door open with unnecessary force, stepped outside and slammed it shut. He sniffed hard and swore under his breath repeatedly.

Then he started to run, as hard as he could, back to his home. He didn't notice the tears that streamed off his face as he ran, or that his expression was set to a grimace. If he had thought he was confused before, there were no words to describe what he felt now.

By the time he had reached his front door, he was out of breath and bordering on hysterical. He leant on the door and looked up the sky. It was a murky, threatening purple and black, the turrets of clouds twisted hideously into grotesque shapes and it looked just like Jou felt. There were no guiding stars for Jou tonight.

'_This_, it's just too hard,' he panted, speaking to no one in particular. A chilly breeze cut through the stock-still air. Jou punched the wooden door and yelled, but no one heard him. A roll of thunder blanketed the night, and Jou escaped inside.

The rain began to patter soothingly as Jou climbed into bed, his face still wet. He slipped into a fitful sleep and didn't wake up to see the lonesome figure that had followed him home, a dark shadow that a few hours later was still there, dishevelled and drenched in the torrential rain.

* * *

_A/N: Oooh Err, cliff-hanger anyone? I included Mokuba ... pointless, but irresistible. It had to be done_. _This is getting longer than I anticipated, not sure if it's a good thing._


	4. Chapter Four

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything._

_A/N: I will change the title, once I think of something better. Suggestions welcome. Oh, and sorry this is kinda short, but it if I made it any longer it would be even more pointless._

_Warning: Hinting at general smuttiness and horniness. _

**Blue Eyes, Cold Heart **

**Chapter Four**

The phone shrilled insistently, piercing the tangible silence that enveloped the house. Lazy sunshine peeked through curtained windows, making each room warm and sleepy.

It rang once, twice. Three times- a loud thump followed by a low moan, then shuffling footsteps made their way towards the living-room. He rubbed his eyes open, blinking in the sunlight, forcing his brain to wake up, struggling to understand the nature of the noise.

Eight times, nine times. He saw the phone, buried under a pile of paper. He started to dig, his mind still foggy, not having fully awoken, not having remembered. He put the receiver to his ear and rattled out the usual message.

'Jounouchi, nine-five-six-six-twelve-zero-one?'

'Jou?' said a familiar voice. 'It's Mokuba.'

Jou's brow furrowed, and then relaxed, his eyes closing. He experienced a sinking sensation, and for a moment, he wished that the ground would collapse around him and swallow him up. Instead, he forced himself to summon his cheeriest voice.

'Oh hey,' he said. He grinned even while speaking, fearing that the boy on the other end of the line might sense his unease.

'My brother said you've left your duel-disk, he wants you to pick it up.' Mokuba piped up, his chattering voice crackling down the old phone. Jou groaned loudly, eyes lifting towards the cob-web riddled ceiling. Now, there was something he didn't want to do, or even think about. He cringed, trying to banish his thoughts from his own head and hoping Mokuba wouldn't start prattling on.

'Can he bring it over himself? Leave it outside the door or something?' Jou tried, hoping it didn't sound too harsh.

'No,' replied Mokuba very matter-of-factly. 'He can't, he's ill.' Mokuba sniffed down the phone, and Jou imagined his little chest inflating with pride. The dark-haired boy still retained an innocent kind of awe when it came to his brother, and his voice was often tinged with happiness when the older Kaiba was the subject of the conversation.

'Oh. Ooh, ill? What, I mean...how?' Jou couldn't help but smile at the idea of the sneering brunette being rendered into a shivering bed-ridden blob. He snickered inwardly, careful not to let the younger Kaiba hear him.

'I dunno. Brother says it's just exhaustion, but I think he went for a late night walk in the rain after you left. So I think he's got a cold.'

Jou raised an eyebrow, and let a wandering finger become entangled in the phone cord. He considered the statement, finding the aforementioned action very unlike Kaiba, 'He what?' He tested, his steady voice slightly incredulous.

'I don't know why. But big brother is like that.' Another beam of pride worked it's way down the phone. Jou felt slightly sick.

'Right,' Jou interrupted, cutting the exchange short before the boy could add any more information. 'Tell him I'll be round after lunch, or something.' He gritted his teeth, immediately wanting to take back his offer. He disliked the idea almost as much as having to be dragged into a one sided conversation with the hyper-active, slightly demented younger brother of the psychotic KaibaCorp president.

'Sure,' chuffed Mokuba. 'I have to go to school now so-'

'Yeah okay, whatever. Bye.' Jou slammed the receiver down quickly, exhaling loudly and wiping his forehead. He slumped himself down onto the nearby sofa, pulling one of the cushions into submission under his bare feet. A firm sense of dread niggled at him, and started to gnaw. He didn't want to the afternoon to come, yet oddly he was looking forward to it. He wanted this drowsy morning to waste away as fast as possible.

He ran his hands through his hair and sighed. There was another matter to be resolved- what would he say to Kaiba? What would Kaiba say to him? Maybe he wouldn't have to see him if he was ill. Maybe he could get away with sneaking in and grabbing the duel-disk and running back, and he would never have to see the pale-faced source of his madness.

_But I want to._

He closed his eyes and leaned back. He smiled, and for a moment he was lost in the memories of the previous night. He was aware of something welling up in his chest, and he felt slightly nauseated as every nerve tingled with a sick kind of anticipation. To see Kaiba after last night would be incredibly stupid. He would just probably just treat him with the usual, arrogant disdain and Jou didn't think he could cope with that. Not after what he had seen, not now this strange emotion cursed through his brain, rendering him incapable of rational thought.

Not that Jou was a great fan of rational thought anyway, nor was it his best virtue, but this was a time when he really needed it. He bristled silently with anger at his dysfunctional mind, but not for long.

He imagined those ardent, all-consuming blue eyes before him, alive like fire. It pained him to think that Kaiba was holding back something so ... startling and so unlike the cold-hearted boy he thought he had known. He could not forget what he had seen and the incredible feeling it had made him experience was still a fresh wound in his psyche. He couldn't understand why or what Seto was hiding, why he let him become entangled into something so amazing only to throw it back in his face.

Kaiba obviously felt something for Jou, or he wouldn't have wasted his time with the mind games and the pretence of wanting to duel. But something stopped him from wanting to show it, and Kaiba wasn't one for stopping himself in the middle of something good. Jou's brow wrinkled as he stared into space.

Maybe the cold hearted Kaiba was scared? The once so fearsome duellist had only made it this far by being a stony-faced, detestable bastard. Maybe _he_ was scared of losing his only defence.

Jou sighed.

_Why can't you understand that I don't want to hurt you?_ He thought, screwing his eyes shut and breathing deeply.

_Why can't you understand that I need you? That you need me? That we need to be closer?_

He growled quietly at himself, frustrated at his feelings.

_Why can't you just understand that I want to love you?_

_EH?_

Jou's eyes widened at his own thought. Love? Now, _that_ was new.

Yet it _felt_...so... _right_. Now, even the pain made sense. Nothing had ever felt like it before.

He closed his eyes again. His mind wandered further into confusion, and he drifted into a restless stupor.

* * *

Jou spent the rest of the morning dozing, wandering down to the local market for food and realising with little shock that sleeping in his clothes had made him smell rather stale. He washed and found something clean to wear, and caught sight of his wild mop of hair and scraggy clothing in his reflection. He wondered if he should find something nicer to wear, then felt himself turn a light shade of magenta as he realised how dumb he sounded.

All the same, he changed into a pale grey button-up shirt, and found some not-quite so old jeans. He even winked at himself in the mirror and clicked his tongue in approval. He tried, and failed to do something about his hair. Every so often his bustle would be interrupted by strange images, thoughts and ideas. They would only push through to annoy him and make him feel strange, but Jou found that he could let them wash over him if he concentrated.

Again, concentration wasn't one of Jounouchi's strong points.

He realised this when found himself staring out of the dusty kitchen window. His mind started to piece an image together. For some reason he didn't even try block it this time– he had become curious and was interested in the subject matter of his wandering thoughts. He was aware of a hazy light within the illustration of his mind; he saw a tall figure bearing an inviting smirk, eyes hungry with lust and milky pale skin that glowed like a full moon. It was so strange, yet so beautiful.

He tried to speak, but his voice made no sound in the white void of his desire. A deep, languid voice answered him. He didn't understand what it said, but he bathed in the liquid glory that was its sound. So long ago, that voice had only spoken insults and threats- had Jou known what the owner of this wonderful noise possessed within him, he would have thrown himself at its feet a long time ago. He would have relished every sigh, mourned every angry word and rejoiced at each tumble of rare laughter.

He imagined long fingers entangling with his own, bodies barely touching each other, yet close enough that the friction made Jou's breath catch in his throat. His waking dream developed further, inviting him into a sensation not unlike the dream that had started all this off. He sensed the heat of another body, so warm and comfortable, so good it made his head spin and his spine tingle with expectation.

His eyelids lowered, and an absurd smile spread across his face. His mind had just made the tall presence touch him, kiss him and push him down. His own imagination added the feel of silk-sheets and the musky scent of lightly glowing flesh. He imagined and felt delicate hands flit across him.

These hands explored his face, then his neck and his shoulders. He shivered under the imaginary touch. Muscles in his body contracted in pleasure, his own hands searching for a warm place to touch and explore. Cool digits trailed down his chest, playing with goose-bump flesh and enticing low moans from a dry throat.

Without realising, his own hands had started to work their way down his body. Across his stomach they fluttered with butterfly delicacy, working lower and lower, unaware that his breathing had become shallow and fast.

They found the top of his jeans, and they started to finger at the button and brush against the warm skin inside. They reached lower and became more insistent, until they brushed past a curl of coarse hair. Jou groaned under his breath, and reached out to hold himself up.

He touched the cold metal side of the sink.

The abrupt shock was enough to shake him out of his trance. The images disappeared like a puff of smoke in the wind, and Jou was left blinking in the light, his hand halfway down his pants. He took one look at his hand grasping the sink and at the half-concealed one.

He swore loudly.

Despite the fact that there was no one around, he felt highly embarrassed. His face reddening, he turned on the cold tap and doused his face with the freezing water. He felt a little angry at himself, but more so, he felt sheepish. He knew who he had just fantasized about, and the idea that this boy could play mind games without even being there made him feel weak at the knees. He grumbled, shaking droplets of water off in every direction.

_Gods, that Kaiba...what has he done to me?_

He would see _him_ in a few hours. His heart missed a beat. He looked around exasperatedly, and decided that the bin really needed emptying again, and that the dishes should be washed. He eventually managed to get his mind back on track without further disturbance.

* * *

The clock's hands crawled closer and closer to two o' clock, and as Jou watched, he couldn't help but feel as if his intestines had tied a knot from the inside. He kept looking at the clock, eyes flitting to the face, sometimes as often as every thirty seconds. Each tick and each tock brought him closer to facing Kaiba again. He swallowed several lumps in his throat as he thought of him, visualising the delicate, angled features of the boy over and over.

At less than half an hour to go, he started to pace up and down his living room, and around his house. The knot in his belly grew tighter, making Jou wish he hadn't eaten quite so much. He started to mutter to himself, trying to think of things to say to Kaiba that would give him enough chance to get out without causing himself more damage.

Not much came to mind. Finally, it was nearly two o'clock. The blonde stared at clock in disbelief, not quite believing that it really was time to head off. He whimpered.

_I'm like a lamb to the slaughter_.

He grabbed a coat and opened the door. The air was fresh. The passing thunderstorm had cleared the air, made it bright and cool. Jou inhaled deeply, trying to steady his failing nerves. Everything smelled clean and good. The usual smog and other even less pleasant city odours had been replaced by an earthy scent, a pure kind of smell that reminded Jou of better days and mud-pies. He smiled, looked into sparkling sky and chased his apprehensions to the back of his mind.

After all, he was only going to pick up a duel disk, right? Nothing had to happen. Yet Jou's heartbeat picked up soon enough, and somehow he knew that _this_ was going to be more than a passing visit.

* * *

_A/N: Thank you to all who reviewed so far. I appreciate your comments and suggestions more than you could think. Extra thanks to Kiki Jones, who kindly offered to beta for me, and did so brilliantly! Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter...and keep your eyes open for the next chapter, which I promise will be full of lovely smuttiness and KaiJou goodness._

_Assuming I manage to write it without giggling and squealing too much, that is._


	5. Chapter Five

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except some really twisted thoughts, an O-zone CD and a bottle of vodka. But that's another story…_

_Warnings for this chapter: Smut, Lemon, Yaoi…whatever you want to call it, it's there. Strong possibility of typos inserted after Beta-ing and bad writing. First time attempt at writing smut (while still keeping it 'R'!)- so you HAVE been warned._

**Blue Eyes, Cold Heart**

**Chapter Five**

Finally, Jou was alone. In Kaiba's house. A few meters away from his room. In the distance the stair creaked as the maid that had escorted him to the top floor made her way back into the gloomy depths.

He stood and stared at the slit of light that was trickling through the small crack of the third door on the left. He examined it for a few minutes, after which a thought occurred to him.

_Why didn't the maid just give me my duel disk?_

Then he remembered. The maid said Kaiba had been _expecting_ him.

He took a few steps towards the door, paused, and took a few more.

He was inches away now. He started to reach out, when he heard the creak of a body moving around in bed. Jou should have realised that maybe even the workaholic Seto Kaiba might take a rest when illness struck. The idea of finding the brunette sprawled in his (probably king size) bed should have been a tempting one, but instead Jou started to feel incredibly embarrassed.

He screwed his eyes shut, grabbed the handle to keep the door steady and knocked. He grimaced at how loud the noise sounded as it boomed through the silent house.

'Yes?' came a muffled voice in reply. Jou pushed the door open slightly and peered round. He diverted his gaze to the smooth, polished oak floor. He felt eyes upon him, questioning his presence.

'I, well…the maid, duel disk…she said, um…' he spluttered as an answer to the unspoken question. He felt himself blush and concentrated on an elaborately carved chair in the far corner of the room.

'Oh,' the voice drawled. 'It's _you_.'

'Yeah, it's me. Do ya know where my-'

'Come in, make yourself at home,' he interrupted. Jou didn't need to look up to see the smirk scrawled across the sharp features of the bedridden Kaiba. He could _feel _it. He cast a hurried glance across the large, bright room, running his eyes over expensive looking furniture and an oppressively tidy desk. In the middle of the desk lay an open sketchbook bearing neat pencil marks that mapped out the design for a more efficient portable holographic device, complete with notes; but the writings and drawings gave him no clue as to the whereabouts of his own duel-disk.

'Looking for something?' Kaiba asked, smiling coldly.

'Duh.' Jou answered scathingly. He tried to feign disinterest as the bright blue eyes observed him apathetically. He wasn't doing too well.

Kaiba was sitting up in his large, white-sheeted bed, a book and various papers resting in his lap. He didn't look ill, but appeared to be only slightly paler than usual. As if on cue, he coughed loudly and pointedly in the blonde's direction.

'And here was I, thinking you might actually want to pay me a visit to see how I was.' He sighed in mock disappointment. He coughed again, glaring for a second at Jou, then turning slightly to look out of the window. He crossed his arms and leant back.

His expression changed suddenly. He focused on something faraway and inhaled deeply, his face darkening with what seemed to be worry. Jou forced himself to stand back and observe this abrupt change in mood with a sick curiosity. He _wanted_ to sit beside Seto and he _wanted_ to comfort him. Yet he knew not to.

_Don't fall for his little games Jounouchi. He's trying to win your pity so he can throw it back in your face. Again._

He felt a little angry as he continued to observe the charade. He was angry at Kaiba for playing the same game once again. He was angry at himself for noticing how Seto's dark blue night-shirt was unbuttoned at the top, exposing a glimmer a milky-white skin.

Jou shifted uncomfortably, making the floor creak. It was that kind of squealing creak that made one's skin crawl and shudder. He scratched his neck and stared at the sun-dappled curtains for a few seconds. He shifted his weight again and found the floorboard to be blamed for the ear-bleeding noise. He stepped on it again a few times, but the other was still gazing intently at the far-away nothing.

'Seto,' Jou breathed softly. Kaiba turned to face him again, eyes ablaze and accusing. He was aware of having crossed an intimate line he should have stayed well away from. Nevertheless, he continued to speak.

'I can't even begin to fathom why ya asked you maid to bring me up here, or why you're playing this stupid mind game to try and get my attention.' Blue eyes continued to bore into him, as if trying to reach into his heart and tear it out. Jou started to feel extremely uncomfortable. He stared back.

'So...' he tested, 'why don't you just give me my duel disk, so I can go home and forget anything ever happened, so you and I can both pretend we have ordinary lives where normal things happen.'

An uncomfortable silence followed. Jou's words seemed to echo aimlessly around the room and he knew he'd said the wrong thing. He envisioned the book by Kaiba's hand suddenly flying through the air and aiming for his muddled blonde head. But of course it didn't, which was almost as bad.

If it wasn't for his remaining scratch of dignity, Jou would have thrown himself at Kaiba's feet and asked for some kind of mercy. Instead, he continued to endure the scrutinizing glare of the boy who was intent on driving him crazy. Kaiba drew his lips back with some kind of grim determination, looking like he was fighting some kind of inner battle.

'No,' he said at last, finally taking his eyes of Jou.

'No what?'

'No. I won't pretend what happened was normal, Katsuya.' He spoke in a low voice that was almost on the edge of threatening. Jou, who had been ready to leave suddenly felt rooted to the spot.

'Nor will I pretend that either you or I are normal. We never have been.'

The voice washed over him, awakening that familiar feeling that rose inside him like hot liquid, making him agonizingly conscious of his desire to fall into the other's arms. He sneered, trying to shake the feeling out of his head.

After all, there was no hope now, was there? _It's all just a stupid crush, _he told himself. _He hates me and doesn't give a crap about me. He just wants to use me._

Amusement sparked across the sharp features of the pale face. Once again, he had read the (confused and disarrayed) mind of the boy standing a few feet away from him.

'I know what you think.' He sighed. 'But despite myself, there's something about you…'

'Something about… _me_… what?' Jou questioned, feeling more confused by the second. He desperately wanted to leave and run as far as he could from the wretched room and the wretched presence, but at the same time something held him there, and somehow he knew very well what it was.

That uncomfortable stare was upon him again, destroying any common sense or willpower. He was trapped.

Right now, he didn't care. He scrambled at words with no meaning.

'W-what are you trying to say?' he tested, forcing each word out of a fog of dark lust. He fought to try and keep his head clear. He pushed and heaved at dark little thoughts as Kaiba's presence and the smell of the room— the sweet smell that belong to the owner of those scrutinizing eyes, tried to take him down and numb his thoughts. Despite all the warning and pep talks he had given himself on the way over, he felt incredibly vulnerable.

He didn't mind, either.

The other smiled hungrily, stretching slightly. Jou caught another glimpse of white skin exposed by the unbuttoned shirt. The silence grew again. It was uncomfortable, but not in the same way the _other_ silence had been. It was a feverish discomfort that made him wriggle in his shirt and tug at the chain around his neck.

'Seto…' He tried. He wanted to tell the other something, anything to get them close again. Above all he wanted a glimpse of the rare creature that appeared to him the previous night; that amazing, awe-inspiring thing that Kaiba kept hidden within himself.

'Seto…' he called again. The other merely nodded his head slightly to acknowledge the words and to halt them.

'Sit.' Kaiba hissed, inclining his head towards a spot beside him on the bed. He smirked slightly as he silently implied the old taunt where he would call Jou a dog, or insinuate that he was a mere mutt. Jou felt a snarl forming on his lips as an instinctive response, but he stopped in it time. He walked to the bed, standing, watching, unsure of himself and looking to Kaiba for some kind of instruction.

_Damn_, he thought. _He's done it again. He's got me right where he wants me._

'I said sit down, Katsuya.' The use of his fist name shocked him enough to bring him to perch on the edge of the bed. He diverted his eyes to the white crumpled sheet that was half-covering Kaiba's body, again trying to ignore the intense gaze that rested upon him.

'You may think this is all a game,' breathed Kaiba in a soft whisper. 'But then again, you seem to think everything is a game. So play it with me.' His whisper dropped to something that was bearable audible and definitely viperous. He moved closer to Jou, so that their faced where only a few inches away.

Jou could feel his hot breath against his cheek. He closed his eyes and tried to focus on something else but it was too hard. He was enjoying this more than he should— in fact, he was relishing it. The idea of being controlled by Seto became more and more appealing.

'You're delirious.' He muttered softly, brushing blonde strands out of his face.

'Whatever.'

A wisp of Kaiba's hair brushed against Jou's cheek, igniting more of those unfamiliar sensations and cloudy emotions that were so absurd. His chest tensed up with something that felt like fear but was quite the opposite. He searched for something to say.

'Is...this really…a…good idea?'

'Do you _ever_ shut up?'

'Do you ever ask nicely?'

He turned his face towards the other. He was looking into sweet oblivion and loving every moment of it. The expression, the _exposur_e of the previous night was back and this time it burned the both of them.

'Do you think that if I had played nice I would have gotten this far?' The usual smirk widened, dancing wildly. Kaiba's face was alight with some deep energy that made Jou's breath catch in his throat. Kaiba accepted the shocked silence as an answer and as an incentive. A confident hand reached across the breathless space and ghosted across his face and to his neck. Jou lent in a little father, their faces impossibly close.

Again, the silence filled the air with tension. Each was watching the other, waiting for the other to make a move. Jou could hear papers beside them begin to crumple and fold as they were pushed aside, something that would have usually annoyed Kaiba immensely. He could see a slight flush across pale cheekbones, and noticed that Kaiba's breathing was also unsteady. His eyes darted left and right, calculating, careful and yet alive with a passion so strong that it drowned out everything else.

It was as if they had been removed from the cold bright room and thrown into some lost place where the concept of time was lost. Gone was the hazy sunshine washing through the thin curtains; it was replaced with uncontrollable need for 'something' to happen. Forgotten were the scrawled notes and complicated marks on the paper and the slight creak of wood re-settling after the added presence on the bed was ignored.

Jou was reminded of the dream, the fantasy…the constant thoughts that had plagued him the last couple of days. Their starkness and clarity was repeated now, but it all seemed irrelevant in the face of this unimaginable situation.

He reached out for the hand that had just moved over his face, and dared to lightly brush his finger across the ridges of knuckle and down into the valleys of the soft skin between long fingers. The other tensed momentarily, surprised.

The game had begun. Kaiba clenched his fingers tightly and roughly pulled Jou towards him, so that their thighs were touching through the cool sheets. He could feel the pulse inside of the long fingers wrapped so tightly around his. He responded, pulling the hand back towards his face.

He licked one pale finger; he slipped his tongue over it, across the soft padded tip and over the point where the bones joined. He used his tongue to lift the finger slightly, and slipped it into his mouth. He bit down softly. Kaiba seemed to shiver slightly, biting his own lip to control his own desire. Jou swept his gaze upward, watching blue eyes imprisoned behind floppy chestnut bangs and dark eyelashes.

Jou was fascinated by the affect of lust on seemingly the emotionless Kaiba. The hand that wasn't holding Jou's was digging into the sheets, almost clawing at them. His expression wore both frustration and uttermost control at the same time. He was trying so hard to hide it, but little things kept giving it away.

'Not so composed now, are we?' Jou tempted with a wicked grin to mirror the avid, hungry smirk. Kaiba's eyes flashed furiously. He grabbed the blonde by the shoulders and pushed him back. An angry snarl erupted from his throat and he thrust himself forward so that his body-weight was pressing down upon Jou, who gasped and felt his heart leap uncontrollably.

'Fuck.' He whispered as his heart settled into rhythm again.

Kaiba leant down and placed his mouth next to Jou's ear.

'If you want,' he mouthed.

Jou felt his face reddening, unsure whether it was because of the unbearable heat or whether it had been the fault of those half-heard words that had snaked their way in his understanding. This opened up a whole new set of dilemmas, but they only occupied his attention briefly. An invisible hand was clutching at his throat and he realised he was holding his breath.

He felt a trickle of sweat work its way down the side of his temple. He blinked and focused on the body poised above him. The pale face smiled slyly, and sheets were thrown aside to liberate limbs. The paper and books tumbled to the floor, leaving a soft flutter in their wake. Kaiba straddled Jou, his smile growing larger by the second.

Jou was suddenly pinned down. He realised that one arm was still free and almost instinctively, he went to push the towering presence away.

His hands touched exposed flesh and he stopped in his tracks. The skin was lightly glowing with tiny beads of sweat and the heat emanating from the body almost burned him. He ran his fingers across the collar bone and found that his hand had come to rest just above where the shirt was buttoned again. Kaiba was watching him, _daring_ him to undo the next button.

Jou did. He glanced at Kaiba's face sheepishly and noticed the intense look of disapproval drawn across his features. He undid the next button, and the next, until the other was open-shirted. He ran his free hand down the centre of the exposed chest. An eyebrow was raised in response and removing his other hand from Jou's shoulder, he began to do the same with Jou's newly rumpled grey shirt.

He shrugged it off, glad of the some cool air upon his skin. The heat emanating from the other body was potent enough to create a certain brand of discomfort that in it's self wasn't that unpleasant. It was coupled with the cool silken feel of top quality bed-sheets, giving enough sensation to bring every hair on Jou's body to stand upon end, and to make him shiver slightly with pleasure.

'Are…you sure you've not got a fever?' Jou asked, trying to dispel the tension.

Kaiba didn't bother with an answer. Instead he bent down and kissed Jou fiercely, slipping his arms under his lean back to bring him closer. A strange flame licked deep inside Jou's abdomen, in the same way that the other's tongue was licking at his mouth and relishing the parted lips. Jou responded, slowly aware of that tight and frustrating feeling that was growing between his thighs. He arched upwards, straining against the other bodyweight, gasping as every sensitive part of his anatomy ground erotically into Kaiba's body.

A hand pushed between them, hurriedly touching Jou wherever it could reach him. It was frantic, rough and unforgiving. It made Jou groan loudly. He twitched as it reached between his legs and grazed him through the stiff material. He whined and gulped down the air around him, but he still felt as if he was chocking in ecstasy.

Then, the weight was off of him and hands were fumbling at the zipper of his jeans. He kicked them off of him, unaware of how naked he really was. All that concerned him right now was the pleasure as it spread through him like some viral disease. He couldn't even tell if he was conscious or dreaming. He could only question those feelings and let them expand through him.

_This…this is what I've wanted for so long._

A keen tongue traced over his bare chest. He barely noticed its presence expect from the sensation it left in its wake. His eyes were rolling frantically and he may have been writhing around on the bed, because one arm came to rest across his chest to keep him still.

_Why didn't I realise this before?_

There was a bite at his neck, just painful enough to be sensual. Then there more, edging lower and lower, alternating with kisses and lustful licks. Kaiba was touching Jou in any way he could, concentrating especially on the most sensitive part of the blonde's body, allowing his fingers to become entangled with the rough hair and teasing with fingernails.

_Why have I waited so long for this? Why have we waited so long when we both knew?_

They were neither the caresses of love nor the crude explorations of young lust, but expertly chosen manoeuvres to arouse and taunt the one who was subjected to it all. He felt more than he imagined possible, enjoyed more than he could possibly understand.

_My gods…_

'Seto,' he called out weakly, 'I want…'

'Shh. Don't talk, don't say a word,' the other interjected with a growl. 'I know what you want already.' He sighed and resumed his position, working himself around the blonde, experiencing every part of him. He lowered himself between parted legs and gently pushed them apart.

Jou threw his head back and almost yelled at the sensation. He lost that foggy state of mind and suddenly everything came into focus; the heat, the friction, the wetness of a tongue doing more than it was invented for. The smell of arousal filled his lungs and he moaned and gasped and knew somehow that the other was smirking as he worked his clever tongue in impossibly tantalising ways.

Before he knew what was happening, Kaiba had risen from his work and was facing him. His expression would have struck fear into his heart at any other time, but for now he saw what he had seen the previous night, and he felt his whole self smile and rejoice as pent-up energy was released. He felt relief, as if his soul was stretching into a new-found freedom.

'Are you ready?' he asked in husky tones, shaking damp strands of chestnut hair out of his eyes. Jou didn't answer, unsure of what ready was. He felt his lip tremble and his eyes focused on the naked state of the body opposite him.

He realised what it all meant and gasped. He felt scared, yet, there was no way he was going to stop it.

_Pain for pleasure. _He thought wildly. Even then, he allowed his legs to be parted further, and he allowed himself to be pushed back down into soft pillows that bore the light scent of some unremarkable detergent mixed with musk. Pale lips temptingly licked his.

'I promise it won't hurt _much_…'

Jou laughed sardonically. 'And what's a promise from you worth?'

There was no answer. Only the fog that slowly returned to cloud his rational self as Kaiba worked and prepared him, and with it, an awareness of some kind of sensation that was both pain _and_ pleasure, love _and_ hate.

But above all, _it_ was absolute.

* * *

_A/N 1 : Please don't kill me, just beat me with sticks._

_A/N 2 : I updated! Oh goodness, what an event! Well, blame all the work I've had to cope with. Thanks again to Kiki Jones for being a great beta person and sorting this chapter out- a process I probably spoiled by then adding more words which are probably a)stoopid, b)wrong, or c)typos. Please...err...ignore them, and thank Kiki for at least making it readable. :)_


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